Apparatus for feeding gobs of molten vitreous or plastic material into molds of a machine for forming bottles or similar containers with control means for controlling the movement of the molds

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for feeding gobs of molten vitreous or plastic material into molds of a machine for forming bottles or similar containers from such material in which the molds are moved along an endless path past a loading station at which gob-feeding means are stationarily arranged above the path of the molds, and in which each mold is momentarily arrested when axially aligned with the gob-feeding means so that a gob may be dropped in vertical direction into the respective mold. The molds are transported along a major portion of the endless path with uniform speed equally spaced from each other, but upstream and downstream of the loading station decelerated or accelerated in such a manner so as to arrive at a point downstream of the loading station at the same time as if they would have been moved continuously with said uniform speed.

llnite ties Becker et a1.

[ 1 Jan. 22, 11974 APPARATUS FOR FEEDHNG GOES OF MOLTEN VllTREOUS .OlR PLASTIC MATERTAL lNTO MOLIDS OF A MAC FOR FORMING BOTTLES OR SEVllllL CONTAINERS WllTl-ll CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF THE MOLDS Inventors: Kurt Becker, Obemkirchen;

Hans-Georg Seidel, Rinteln, both of Germany Hermann Heye, Obernkirchen, Germany Filed: Mar. 1, 1973 Appl. No.: 337,193

Related [1.8. Application Data Assignee:

Field of Search..... 65/164, 211, 212, 304, 361; 141/250-255, 257, 260-263, 167, 180; 164/157; 264/297; 425/155 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,284,508 5/1942 Bert 65/361 3,162,522 12/1964 Tingley 65/304 X 2,772,705 12/1956 Anderson.... 141/167 3,294,037 12/1966 Hoag et a1. 425/155 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Lindsay, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for feeding gobs of molten vitreous or plastic material into molds of a machine for forming bottles or similar containers from such material in which the molds are moved along an endless path past a loading station at/which gob-feeding means are stationarily arranged above the path of the molds, and in which each mold is momentarily arrested when axially aligned with the gob-feeding means so that a gob may be dropped in vertical direction into the respective mold. The molds are transported along a major portion of the endless path with uniform speed equally spaced from each other, but upstream and downstream of the loading station decelerated or accelerated in such a manner so as to arrive at a point downstream of the loading station at the same time as if they would have been moved continuously with said uniform speed.

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1. In a machine for forming bottles or similar containers from vitreous or plastic material, a combination comprising a turntable having an axis and an endless track means extending about said axis and defining a predetermined path; at least one carriage mounted on said track means movable along said predetermined path; upright mold means on said carriage; a loading station at a point of said path and comprising stationary gob supply means for dropping a gob of vitreous or plastic material in vertical direction into said mold means; first drive means for driving said turntable with a predetermined uniform speed about its axis; means cooperating with said carriage and said turntable for coupling said carriage to said turntable for movement therewith and for decoupling said carriage from said turntable so that the carriage may move along said track means relative to said turntable; and second drive means for moving said carriage, when decoupled from said turntable, relative to the latter, between a first point along said path upstream of said loading station and a second point downstream thereof and for arresting said carriage at said loading station for such a time that the carriage arrives at said second point at the same time as if the carriage would have moved between said points together with said turntable at said predetermined uniform speed, said second drive means comprising a pneumatic motor mounted on said turntable for movement therewith and having a drive shaft, a drive arm fixed to said drive shaft for turning therewith and linked to said carriage, and control means comprising a pilot arm fixed at one end to said drive shaft for turning therewith, a connecting rod pivotably connected at one end to the other end of said pilot arm, a roller mounted on the other end of said connecting rod, stationary pilot track means along which said roller moves, and elongated guide means connected to said roller and mounted on said turntable movable relative thereto in substantially radial direction.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1, and including means for substantially compensating the inertia forces and moments resulting from the movement of said second drive means and the resulting movement of said carriage relative to said turntable.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said machine comprises a plurality of carriages, mold means in each of said carriages and second drive means for each of said carriages, and wherein said compensating means comprises a member having a turning axis parallel to the turning axis of said turntable, and being connected to said turntable to be rotated by the latter about said turning axis, a pair of pins mounted on said member on opposite sides of said turning axis, two pairs of weights located outside said member on opposite sides of said turning axis, stationary guide means for guiding said weights movable towards and away from said turning axis, and two connecting rods for each pin pivotally connected at one end to the respective pin and projecting to opposite sides of the latter and respectively connected at the other end to one weight of each pair of weights so that during turning of said member about its turning axis the weights in each pair will be reciprocated in opposite directions.
 4. A combination as defined in claim 1, and including coupling means movable between an active position for coupling said mold means to said carriage and an inactive position freeing said mold means for movement relative to said carriage, plunger means carried by said turntable and axially aligned with said mold means during movement of the latter between said second point and said first point along said predetermined path, and lifting means carried by said turntable and cooperating with said mold means downstream of said second point and after said coupling means has been moved to said inactive position for lifting said mold means from said carriage in axial direction into a position cooperating with said plunger means for press forming a gob dropped at said loading station into said mold means into a parison.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 4, and including a neck ring alignable with said mold means during the movement thereof along said path between said second and said first point, two-part gripper means carried by said turnable movable between an open position and a closed position for engaging in said closed position said neck ring and said mold means while the latter is in said lifted position for holding said mold means in said lifted position aligned with said neck ring, and wherein said lifting means returns said mold means after press forming the gob into a parison and movement of said gripper means to said open position onto said carriage, said parison extending through said neck ring and being carried by the latter when said mold means is returned to its position on said carriage.
 6. A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said lifting means comprises a lifting cylinder mounted on said turntable, piston means reciprocable in said lifting cylinder between a rest position and a lifting position, a lifting member carried by said piston means, means carried by said lifting member and cooperating during movement of said piston means from said rest to said lifting position with said coupling means for moving the latter to said inactive position, and cooperating means on said mold means and said lifting member for coupling said mold means to said lifting member during movement of said piston means from said rest to said lifting position and for decoupling said mold means from said lifting member during movement of said piston means in the opposite direction.
 7. A combination as defined in claim 6, and including at least one coupling cylinder formed in said piston means and extending in the same direction as said lifting cylinder, a coupling piston arranged in said coupling cylinder movable between a lower rest position and an upwardly displaced position, a leg connected at one end to said coupling piston for movement therewith and projecting from thE latter downwardly beyond said lifting cylinder, a roller co-nected to the other end of said leg, a stationary curved pilot lifting track in which said roller is guided, passage means communicating with said coupling cylinder in the region of the upper end thereof, and means for selectively connecting said passage means to the atmosphere and to a source of compressed air, said coupling piston engaging in said lower rest position a shoulder formed in said coupling cylinder so as to form stop means for limiting upward movement of said piston means.
 8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said piston means comprises a piston, and upper and a lower piston rod respectively projecting axially aligned with said piston to opposite sides of the latter, and including an outer coupling cylinder forming a downward continuation of said lifting cylinder, said lower piston rod extending with clearance into said outer coupling cylinder, sealing means sealing the lower end of said lower piston rod against the inner surface of said outer coupling cylinder, and passage means communicating with an upper portion of said outer coupling cylinder for feeding compressed air into the latter.
 9. A combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said outer coupling cylinder has a bottom wall, a guide rod having an axis parallel to that of said outer coupling cylinder and being fixed to said bottom wall, said piston means being provided with a bore into which said guide rod extends.
 10. A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said piston means is formed with a bore extending in axial direction therethrough, said lifting member comprises a tube arranged axially adjustable in said bore of said piston means and including sealing means sealing said bore in said rest position of said piston means while permitting passage of air through said bore and said tube when said piston means moves away from said rest position.
 11. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein each of said mold means comprises a hollow mold housing open at opposite ends so that the inner surface of said mold housing forms a passage for flow of cooling air therethrough, and at least one mold mounted in said mold housing spaced from the inner surface thereof, said tube of said lifting means communicating with said passage when said piston means moves away from said rest position thereof, and wherein said coupling means releasably couples said mold housing to the respective carriage.
 12. A combination as defined in claim 4, and including a pair of pneumatic means for respectively operating said plunger means and said lifting means, each of said pneumatic means comprising a pneumatic switch tiltably mounted on said turntable for movement therewith about the axis of said turntable, a switch lever fixed at one end to said switch and having an actuation roller on the other end thereof, and control means cooperating with said roller for turning said pneumatic switch between two stable operating positions, said control means comprising an adjustable mechanical shunt mounted adjacent said turntable and having two tongues which define between themselves a passage through which said actuation roller passes during turning of said turntable relative to said shunt, said passage having a wide inlet end and a shiftable narrow outlet end so that said pneumatic switch means may be turned to either of its switching positions depending on the adjusted position of said outlet end of said shunt.
 13. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said tongues are held in fixed position relative to each other and means connected to said shunt for adjusting the position of said outlet end of said passage. 